DAILY TEXT, Monday, October 20, 2025. If you do not reveal to me the dream and its interpretation, I will cause you to be torn asunder (Dan. 2:5).

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Monday, October 20, 2025

If you do not reveal to me the dream and its interpretation, I will cut you to pieces (Dan. 2:5).

About two years after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, King Nebuchadnezzar had a very disturbing dream in which he saw a huge statue. Later, he ordered all the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel, to tell him what he had dreamed and what it meant. If they didn't, he would kill them all (Dan. 2:3-5).

Daniel didn't have time to waste; many lives were at stake. So he “asked the king for time, that he might reveal the interpretation to him” (Dan. 2:16). Doing this required faith and courage. Why? Because the Bible doesn't say that he had ever interpreted dreams before. Daniel spoke to three of his friends and “asked them to plead with the God of heaven for mercy concerning this secret” (Dan. 2:18). Jehovah answered his prayers, and with their help, Daniel was able to interpret the king's dream. He and his friends escaped death!

On what other occasions did Daniel prove to be brave?

Some time after interpreting the dream about the enormous statue, Daniel faced another situation that demanded courage. Nebuchadnezzar had another chilling dream; this time he saw a gigantic tree. Daniel was courageous and explained the meaning of the dream to Nebuchadnezzar. Among other things, he told him that he would go mad and would no longer be king for a while (Dan. 4:25). Nebuchadnezzar might have thought Daniel was turning against him and ordered him executed. But Daniel summoned courage and withheld no details from him.

What could possibly have helped Daniel to be brave?

What could have helped Daniel to be courageous throughout his life? He must have learned a lot from his parents’ good example as a young man. They obeyed Jehovah’s instructions to the Israelite parents and taught him God’s law. (Deut. 6:6–9) Daniel not only knew the Ten Commandments, but he was also well aware of what foods the Israelites were allowed to eat and what they were not allowed to eat (Lev. 11:4–8; Dan. 1:8, 11–13). He also knew the history of God’s people and what happened to them when they did not obey Jehovah’s standards. (Dan. 9:10, 11) Everything that happened to him throughout his life convinced him that Jehovah and his mighty angels were always there to support him. (Dan. 2:19–24; 10:12, 18, 19)

What else helped Daniel to be brave?

Daniel made a habit of studying what God's prophets, such as Jeremiah, had written. As a result, he eventually came to the conclusion that the Jewish exile in Babylon was about to end. (Dan. 9:2) Seeing the prophecies fulfilled no doubt strengthened his trust in Jehovah. And when a person truly trusts in Jehovah, he develops incredible courage (compare this with Romans 8:31, 32, 37-39). What helped Daniel most was that he prayed a lot to his heavenly Father (Dan. 6:10). He confessed his sins, told Him how he felt, and asked for His help (Dan. 9:4, 5, 19). Like any human being, Daniel wasn't born courageous. He had to develop that quality by studying, praying, and trusting in Jehovah.

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